Means and method for protection of liquefied gas storage tank



June 6, 1961 J, J, HENRY 2,986,892

MEANS AND METHOD FOR PROTECTION OF LIQUEFIED GAS STORAGE TANK Filed June 24, 1958 INVENTOR.

JZzmes \IA ew A2 to r-ngys heat leak becomes excessive.

United States Patent ()fice 2,986,892 Patented J one 6, 1961 2,986,892 MEANS AND METHOD FOR PROTECTION OF LIQUEFIED GAS STORAGE TANK James J. Henry, New York, N.Y., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Conch International Methane Limited,

Nassau, Bahamas, a corporation of the Bahamas Filed June 24, 1958, Ser. No. 744,239 2 Claims. (CI. 6249) This invention relates to the storage and transportation of a low boiling liquefied gas and it relates more particularly to the facilities in storage for safely housing the liquefied gas in containers of large capacity.

- For the most part, it is impractical'and uneconomical to construct large containers with walls strong enough to house a liquefied gas at high pressure. Thus, when it is desired to make use of a container of large capacity for the storage of a cold boiling liquefied gas, it becomes practical to construct the container for storage of theliquefied gas at about atmospheric pressure or, preferably, a few points above atmospheric pressure. The inventive concepts will be illustrated with liquefied natural gas as representative of the many liquefied gases such as air, oxygen, nitrogen and the like.

At atmospheric pressure, liquefied methane, which is the principal component of natural gas, boils at about -258 F. Usually liquefied natural gas will contain ,small amounts of heavier hydrocarbons which will raise the boiling point slightly, depending upon the amount and types of hydrocarbons, but it will generally lie somewhere below -240 F. Liquid oxygen, nitrogen, helium and air or the like gases will boil at still lower temperatures at atmospheric pressure. Thus, the problem is to construct a storage tank of large capacity which is sufiiciently well insulated to minimize heat loss from the ambient atmosphere to the liquid content material. When suitably insulated, the small amount of heat naturally entering the liquid to cause vaporization or boiling presents no problem with respect to the ability to bandle the vapor either by disposing of the vapor or, preferably, by using the vapor as a source of cold and then heater power, when formed of natural gas. Instead,

.the vapors can be reliquefied for return to the container in storage or transportation. The more difficult problem arises in the failure of insulation whereby the- This not only leads to large and uncontrolled losses of product but results further in the generation of vapors in such amounts as to present difiiculties in handling. 1

In ship transportation of the liquefied gas, as represented by the transportation of natural gas in a liquefied state from a source of plentiful supply to an area where a deficiency exists, further problems arise in that the steel of which the ships hull is usually constructed will tend to lose its ductility if exposed to the low temperatures of the liquefied gas. The insulation is usually employed in a manner to protect the ships hull from the cold of the liquefied gas, and failure of insulation presents the problem of the rapid transmission of the low temperatures of the liquefied content material to the hull and the difficulty arising as a consequence thereof. The tanks being considered have a capacity of many thousands of barrels. When constructed in a ship for transportation, the tanks and the insulation represent a substantial part of the investment in the ship. They are, 'as a result, considered to be an integral part of the ship and intended for an indefinite life in use with the ship. Thus, it is desirable to uncover weaknesses which develop in the tank and insulation in use so that repairs can be made in advance to avoid tying up the .to' withstand the high loads existing when attempting ing substantial reconstruction which might otherwise be required if deficiencies suddenly develop in the construction of the tank or in its insulation.

Thus, it is an object of this invention to provide a construction for the safe and eflicient storage and transportation of a cold boiling liquefied gas, and it is a related object to provide an assembly embodying a heavily insulated container of large capacity for the storage and transportation of cold boiling liquefied gas at about atmospheric pressure and which embodies means for ascertaining the breakdown of the insulation sufliciently in advance of its deterioration to enable replacement or-repair before any of the diificult situations or conditions described actually arise, thereby safely to maintain'the liquefied gas with minimum loss by vaporization;

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will hereinafter appear and for purposes of illustration, but not of limitation, an embodiment'of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing in which- FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a storage tank embodying the features of this invention; and

FIG. 2 is a sectional elevational view through the insulated storage tank showing the arrangement of elements embodied in the practice of this invention.

As a natural occurrence, heat will leak from the atmosphere through the tank to the cold liquid in the tank. Such heat leak will result in boiling of the liquid and the consequent conversion of a small amount of the liquid to the vaporized state. Under ordinary circumstances, considering the size of the tank, the amount of liquid content material, and the efficiency of the insulation, the amount of vaporization of the liquid because of such natural heat leaks will represent only a small fraction of a percent per day of the liquefied gas in' storage. The rate of vaporization will vary only slightly from the high and low temperatures of the ambient atmosphere and from the amount of liquid in the tank.

When, however, failure of the insulation begins to take place, or other unforseen circumstances develop which ,permit heat leaks to increase in rate, a noticeable ship for an undesirable period of time and without causchange takes place in the amount of vaporization of'the liquid gas in the tank. While this change in the rate of vaporization may not be noticeable from hour to hour, or even from day to day, the increase in the amount Tot heat leak will make itself known by comparison of the rate of vaporization over long periods of time. Such gradual increase in the rate of vaporization is indicative of difliculties arising in the insulation and such warning is given in suflicient time to enable steps to be taken at the proper place for alleviating the diificulty, orefor build-up or reinforcing the insulation before any emergency develops. If the rate of increase in vaporization is more rapid, a different situation is indicated which may require immediate attention as distinguished from waiting for replacement or repair until a better time or, better facilities are available. I

While the means of control will not indicate the-exact zone of deterioration, it is effective to warn of a developing situation which can be localized by other means. For example, thermocouples can be employed invarious parts of the assembly to detect cold spots or, in the alternative, visual examination can be made of the interior of the container for signs of excessive boiling or agitation. It is important in the construction and operation of the tanker or liquid gas carrier totake every precaution for acquiring as complete knowledge as possible of the characteristics and condition of the tanks and the insulation since both of these elements represent an integral part of the ship and either failure of the insulation or tank can lead to the failure of the ship.

inithe'aeeornpanying. drawing showing only one of the many-tanks in a ships construction and in which descriptn will be made only to those parts of the ship and tank and the insulation as is necessary for describing the concepts-of this invent-ion. Many of the other elements "employed in combination with the ship and tank relate to other operations forming no part of the present inventron. It will be understood that while the concepts are described with reference to an insulated tank for ship transportation of the liquefied gas, the concepts are equally applicable to any land storage of the liquefied gasfism stationary storage'tanks mounted on suitable suppo 1 Referring now to the drawing, =10 indicates an inner metal shell of large capacity for use in housing large volumes. of a cold boiling liquefied gas 12. Because of the :extremely low temperature ofthe liquid directly in cont-act with the inner walls of the shell, it is desirable to construct the shell ofmateri-al which is fluid and vapor impervious and which-does-not lose :its strength of ductility atlth'e temperature conditions existing. For this purpose, use can be made of such structurally strong metals as aluminum, alloys of aluminum, copper, austenitic steels such as 18-8 stainless steel. For this purpose, use cannot be made-ofmildsteelsor other-non-austenitic steels which are incapable of maintaining the desired strength charucteristicsv at temperatures below --l00 -'F.

The shell is lined on its outer wall-with a thick layer 14 of a thermal insulating material. This may take the --form of :apacked insulation of glass-wool fibers, mineral wool fibers and the like. Itmayconstitute a structurally strong insulation which is built up on the walls of the shell, .such for example, as ofpanels of balsa NVOOd, foamed glassand the like. If-the tank constitutes an inner shellconfined in spaced relation withthe walls of an outcrshell 16, thespace between the-walls can be evacu- .ated. or else filled with a materialoflowheat-conductivity, such as granules of cork,exfoliatedvermiculite, Santo- Cel-:and the like, preferablywith means -to-subdivide the space into :separate compartments to minimize packing ofthe-insulation. When spaced walls are employed, the outer shell can be fabricated ofmetals such as mild steel,

.since the outer shellwill be protected :from the cold by. the insulation layer.

"The-tank is fitted with adownpipe .18 which, .pref- :erably cxtends through the top wall20. to a level adjacent the bottom for introduction and-removal of the liquid cargo 12. "The downpipe 18- is-connectedbya trunkline n to a-main header 24 adaptedtobe connected-to a shore-' facility for filling the tank at the liquefaction site -or -='for removal of the liquefied -gas :at thestatiorr of use. *The tank-is alsoprovidedwith anoutlet v26satthe top-ob the shell 1 above the-liquid level and in communication with the vapor area 28 above the liquid level. The

vapor-outlet 26 is connectedby a trunk -lined!) to av main -vapor header3 2. The-vaporsheadercanbe adapted for shore connection to transmit-thevaporsfor use in, (l)

recovering the refrigeration and/or (2) for use .as a

"fueLand/or (3) for use as a raw material in the petrochemical industry. It can be connected to. a rte-liquefaction unit on shore or on ship forreconversion of the .vapor to the liquefied state toenable return of the liquefied-gas to thetank=forstorage oriitcan, connect ,with

brated'orifice isconnected-by tubing- 38 to a flow transmitter which, in turn, is connected toa fiowrecorder Liz-where a record is made of the rateot flow of; vapor through the trunk line-30. Variations in flow can be charted for day to day comparisons and for-week to ,gleek comparisons, or for comparisons between other periods of time whereby characteristics of the insulation and tank can be extrapolated to signal a continuing trend in the increase in rate of vaporization which can be interpreted to mean a gradual deterioration of the insulation, other factors having been taken into consideration. Such signals will make themselvesknown sufiiciently far in advance of actual breakdown as'to allow suflicient time toelfect replacement or repair ata time when better materi alls and facilities. are available thereby to minimiie the cost and expense ,of operation and thereby to avoid unnecessary and prolonged tie-up of the ship. Most important is the ability to avoid the development of emergency conditions which cannot properly be handled at sea.

' The trunk line 30 and the vapor header 32 are adapted. to acceptonly the normal how of vapors generated because of -heatiloss through the walls of the sh'ell'in operation. Sudden changes in heat loss, occasioned by' circumstances other-than-gradual deterioration of insulation are taken care of-by a relief system which embodies a header dimensioned to take care of large volumes of vapors which-might suddenly-bereleased. The release header .44. is connected-to suitable openings 46 through a number of-trunk lines 48 each of whichis provided 'withits own pressurecontrol valve 50 for controlling the opening and closing of the'valve. The valves are adapted who open when the vaporpres'sure within the .tank exceeds a predterrhined niaximumsufiieiently below theminimum for safe operation (lithe-tank, andwhen the vacuum exceeds a predetermined maximum for safe operation.

It will be understood that other means for recording vaporizationrate may be employed whereby suitable comparisons 'can-be'easilyand accurately made over a period of time to determine the characteristics of the tank audits insulation-in operation. Other changes in details of cons t ruction, arrangement, and operation may be made withoutdeparting from the spiritof the invention, especially defined iii the following claims.

1mm: H

1. In aninsulated tank of large capacity for thestoragc of-large volumes of low boiling liquefied gas at about atmospheric press'ure, an enclosed inner shell of a fluid and 'vapor iriipervious material or housingrthe liquefied gas, a thicklayerof thermal insulating material surrounding. the shelltominimize heatlossinto the liquid an inletinthe shell rm the transmission of the liquefied gas into znid out of the shell, a vapor outlet in the upper porti on..of the sh ell, in communication with the vaporlsp'ace .abovethe liquid level for theremoval of vapors released by the liqueiied gasid ue to natural .heat loss through c insulated-shelLa means in. communication lwithfthe' Ya Tr .outletfor-determiningthe rate of flow of the vapors hen: the shell, means for recording the rate of-flowlfor. parison betweenperiods of time ,todetermine increases in the, rate .of vapor generation to indicate unnatural 5 increasesin thetheat loss.due to deteriorationof the. insulation, said means for recording the rateoffiow including a passage in communication with the vapor outlet,.a callbrated orifice in the passage, and afiow meter operatively connected withthe said orifice to'determinethe flow rate.

Inan 'nsulated of large capacity for the storage 7 i or low boilinglliqu'efied gas at about'atmospheric pressure," an enclosed inner shell of a fluid and perviousmaterial for housing the liquefied'jgagla lay er o thermallinsulatin'g. material surrounding lthe shell to, heat less info. the liquid, an inlet'in llle s e tforth tt nsmiss q o h ique n a de! of,=;the-shell, a vapor outlet .in-the upper. portion of shellsin communication: with the vapor. space,,abo ve the liquidlevel'rorzthe removal; of .vapor's released by the liquefied gas dueto natural .heat loss-through the insulated shell,"a means in communication with the vapor .outlet for determining-th'e rate f-flow of the vaporsfromtm shell, means for recording the rate of flow for comparison mum and vacuum beyond a predetermined maximum in between periods of time to determine increases in the rate the shell.

of vapor generation to indicate unnatural increases in the References Cited in t e of this aten heat loss due to deterioration of the insulation, another fil p t vapor relief outlet in the upper portion of the container, 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS and pressure regulator valves normal-1y closing said relief 2,085,224 Krueger June 29, 1937 outlet but which are rendered inefiective to open the relief 2,356,410 Krugler Aug. 22, 1944 in response to pressures beyond a predetermined maxi- 2,550,886 Thompson May 1, 1951 

